USUAL FIRE GOES OUT
Astros and their ‘Core Four’ fail to muster the spark needed to send the ALCS to Boston
Alex Bregman normally has a lot to say.
The vibrant young star who oozes confidence stood, reserved and quiet, searching for the right words.
“It’s disappointing,” he said, fighting back tears.
Bregman — part of the Astros’ “Core Four” — never doubted he and his team would be back at the World Series this month. But all the swagger, all the confidence, all the certainty they had carried all season couldn’t get them there.
By the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 5 at Minute Maid Park on Thursday night, the feeling the Astros might come back and win it was gone. Usually when the Astros are down, they don’t feel out. Usually when the top of the lineup, the “Core Four” are coming up to the plate, anything can happen.
Tough night at the plate
But Thursday night, as Bregman — in his new role as leadoff hitter — walked to the plate toward the end of Game 5 with an out on the board, the spark he usually brings with him was gone. Bregman struck out swinging, finishing the night 0-for-4.
George Springer, who has assembled a collection of postseason hits, made his way to first base on a single to center field and waited for reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve. At this point last year, the expectation would have been a home run for Altuve.
But he was barely holding it together with a knee injury that would have sidelined most players. He flew out and the inning ended.
By the time Carlos Correa — who had taken back his spot as cleanup hitter for the first time in the postseason — led off the bottom of the ninth inning, fans were exiting their seats and heading for the doors. They weren’t sensing a miraculous comeback this time.
The “Core Four” — Altuve, Bregman, Springer and Correa — were supposed to lead the Astros back to the World Series. It didn’t work out that way as they couldn’t deliver and keep the Astros alive in Game 5, a 4-1 loss to Boston.
None of the four got anything going. They couldn’t start a rally to turn things around as they faced elimination. They didn’t have the spark, the energy that pushed them through so many other games. And just like that, the dream of a second straight championship was gone. The Red Sox eliminated the Astros.
Hopes were pinned on the Astros “Core Four” long before the team started its 2018 campaign. The four young players the Astros developed into superstars. The four who were among the best at their positions. The four who set the tone by batting in the first four spots for the team.
There was never a doubt they’d do it again. They’d lead the Astros back to the World Series. They’d win it again. They’d make more history.
It wasn’t supposed to end this way.
The Astros were the favorite headed into the postseason even though Boston had the best record in baseball.
Series went downhill
The first four games of the ALCS were a mess for the reigning champs. Even though they won Game 1 on the road, the Astros didn’t look like the dominant club headed for a sweep. They’d go on to lose the next one in Boston and the next two at Minute Maid Park setting up a must-win Game 5.
Game 4 was deflating. A botched call on an Altuve should-have-been home run turned fan interference call will be a point of discussion for years.
So when Thursday rolled around and the Astros trailed the Red Sox 3-1 in the series, there was no doubt Minute Maid Park would be rocking.
It was all supposed to go according to plan: Ace Justin Verlander started and he’d get the run support he needed, largely due to Bregman, Springer, Altuve and Correa — all of whom have delivered so many times. The Astros would get the win and try to do the unthinkable and win two straight in Boston.
It wasn’t a crazy idea. Not with the lineup the Astros boast. But it didn’t work out that way.
For the second day in a row, Bregman led off. The switch was made for Game 4 after Red Sox pitchers spent the first three games pitching around him. Springer batted second.
Betts robs Bregman
Bregman — who put together a regular season worthy of mentioning him in MVP chatter — normally provides a spark for the squad. Thursday, he came close, but never could get anything going.
The closest he came was in the sixth — an inning that said it all. In the top of the sixth, the ever-steady Verlander gave up a three-run homer. Then the Astros brought in the top of the order.
Bregman was robbed of a home run by Mookie Betts, who leapt and snatched a ball bound for the seats in right field. Springer grounded out. Then Altuve struck out swinging.
At that point, it didn’t seem like the Astros had any other tricks to pull out of the bag.
In another game, Altuve would have been on the disabled list.
His knee was clearly an issue for most of the series. He gutted it out better than most players could hope to, but without him at full strength, the Astros struggled.
“It’s a tough loss but that was a good team,” Springer said. “We will think about this for a few days and then we have to move on, get ready for next year.”
The Astros were missing the “it” factor — the one they normally got from one of the “Core Four.”
All the confidence, all the swagger, all the certainty they had brought to the table all season wasn’t enough to carry the Astros back to the World Series.